Over The Hill

A late Thursday afternoon drive followed by an evening meal in the Invergarry Hotel and a good nights rest in the Great Glen Hostel allowed us to get an early start and enjoy a beautiful early morning drive along Glen Garry to the shores of Loch Quoich (or Loch Cuaich, if you prefer, the spelling changing depending on which book, or version of OS map you are reading) and be on the hill by just after 9 o'clock on Friday morning.

We chose to do this route in a clockwise direction, thereby making our ascent to Gleouraich via the well documented and oft written about "stalkers track" which begins at the roadside and winds its way in a series of zigzags up the hillside and through the crags of Sron a'Chuilinn before contouring along the steep western slopes of Druim Seileach and ending in a very strategically positioned shooting butt which overlooks the upper bowl of Coire Peitireach.

This track, never much wider than a boot width, has the magical effect of transporting you up this steep hillside with the minimum of effort as it twists and turns with every contour, taking the path of least resistance, and never revealing its presence until you make each turn; any attempt at trying to read ahead and guess where it will take you is futile, as the track is so unobtrusive and narrow, that it lies almost completely hidden to view apart from those few metres directly ahead of you.

Although on the map the stalkers track terminates at the shooting butt, in reality, it continues as a stony mountain track up the steepening ridge as it rises and takes an almost 90 degree turn before climbing the final rocky section to the cairn marking the summit of Gleouraich, at 1035m. The views from this mountain top are striking; to the north, the entire South Glen Shiel Ridge, with it's 7 Munros, sits directly in front of you, as you gaze over the River Loyne and the upper reaches of Glen Loyne; whilst westwards are the distant peaks of Knoydart and Lochaber.

Turning, and looking east, the remainder of the days walking stretches ahead of you as the ridgeline flows over the 1006m top of Creag Coire na Fiar Bhealaich and onwards to the distant top of Spidean Mialach at the eastern end of the ridge. The mainly grassy top of this high level ridge makes for good walking, while, the steep descent to the 735m Fiar Bhealach is accomplished via yet another well contoured zigzagging path which winds its way between the rocky outcrops at the head of steep crags lining the northern face of the ridge.

Height lost in the descent to Fiar Bhealach is quickly regained and the grassy ridge once more stretches ahead as you approach the second Munro on this fine walk, the 996m summit of Spidean Mialach; where, once again the panorama across the lochs and mountain tops is just stunning. Departing the summit of Spidean Mialach and descending southwest, initially over some rocky ground, before encountering the grass and heather slopes above Loch Fearna, the ridge is soon left behind as you descend into the wide bowl at the base of Coire Dubh.

Here, for the first time today, some extra attention was required to navigation, as you head towards yet another stalkers track which begins at the merging of two small streams at the 500m height in Coire Dubh; the approach to which is over some rough heather troughs, and, as before, the track is virtually invisible until you climb the bank of the stream and literally step onto the track. Once found, it is then a lovely, easy walk below the southern slopes of the ridge descending back to the roadside to emerge through the rhododendron bushes just a few hundred metres along the road from our start point.

A beautiful day, a wonderful ridge, and two fantastic mountains - Great day Ian, thanks for your company.